D4 Published development or research report or study
Päiväkodin johtajan työ : johtamiskokonaisuudet, varajohtamisen rakenteet ja johtajan työhön kohdistuvat odotukset (2023)
Work of the head of early education centre : management areas, deputy management structures, and expectations placed on the head’s work


Kuusiholma-Linnamäki, J., Sarkkinen, T., Vlasov, J., Fonsén, E., Heikkinen, S., Hjelt, H., Lahtinen, J., Lohi, N., Mäkelä, M., & Siippainen, A. (2023). Päiväkodin johtajan työ : johtamiskokonaisuudet, varajohtamisen rakenteet ja johtajan työhön kohdistuvat odotukset. Kansallinen koulutuksen arviointikeskus. Julkaisut / Kansallinen koulutuksen arviointikeskus, 29:2023. https://www.karvi.fi/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/documents/Karvi_2923.pdf


JYU authors or editors


Publication details

All authors or editors: Kuusiholma-Linnamäki, Julia; Sarkkinen, Tuomas; Vlasov, Janniina; Fonsén, Elina; Heikkinen, Suvi; Hjelt, Hanna; Lahtinen, Jarkko; Lohi, Noora; Mäkelä, Mikko; Siippainen, Anna

ISBN: 978-952-206-813-2

eISBN: 978-952-206-814-9

Journal or series: Julkaisut / Kansallinen koulutuksen arviointikeskus

ISSN: 2342-4176

eISSN: 2342-4184

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 31/10/2023

Number in series: 29:2023

Number of pages in the book: 98

Publisher: Kansallinen koulutuksen arviointikeskus

Place of Publication: Helsinki

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: Finnish

Persistent website address: https://www.karvi.fi/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/documents/Karvi_2923.pdf

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/92127

Additional information: Sammanfattning: Daghemsföreståndarens arbete : ledningshelheter, strukturer för vice ledarskap och förvätningar på föreståndarens arbete


Abstract

This evaluation examined management and management structures in Finnish early childhood education and care. The evaluation was conducted in two phases between 2020 and 2023. This report covers the second phase. The report focuses on the varying management areas and tasks of heads of early education centres centres, deputy management structures, and expectations placed on the head’s work.
Survey data for the evaluation were collected from heads of early education centres in September 2022. All municipalities and private service providers in Mainland Finland participated in the data collection. The response rate in the survey addressed to heads of early education centres was 56%. To collect additional data, focus group interviews were conducted with heads of early education centres in January 2023. When selecting interviewees, the aim was to ensure versatile representativeness of the data, which is why roughly two focus groups from each of Finland’s six Regional State Administrative Agency areas were put together. Heads of early education centres from municipalities of different sizes were selected to participate in the interviews. Other factors accounted for in the selection process were whether the interviewee worked with a private or municipal service provider and whether they were in charge of early childhood education and care provided in Finnish or Swedish. The interviewees represented 41 Mainland Finland municipalities. A total of 13 group interviews were conducted, with a total of 54 heads participating in them. Drawing on the mutually complementary evaluation datasets, answers were sought to the following questions: 1) What kinds of management areas do early education centre heads deal with, and how do the different areas and tasks affect the head’s work? 2) What types of deputy and assistant management structures and practices are in place, and how do they affect the head’s work? 3) What kinds of expectations are placed on the head’s work and what means are used to manage different expectations?
Where the numbers of units and subordinates are high, HR management tasks play a larger role in the head’s tasks. If the units are physically distant from each other and there is a high number of them, hands-on management is also not possible. The evaluation indicates that heads managing large content areas do not have an opportunity to provide their personnel with the kind of support they would need when faced with changing objectives of early childhood education and care and challenges related to personnel availability. The evaluation found that especially some heads of early education centres employed by urban municipalities have large content areas to manage.
More than one half of the heads had one deputy, fewer than one out five had several, and nearly one out of four early education centres heads reported that there was no deputy head in their management area. The survey results indicate that the greatest emphasis in deputy heads’ tasks was on pedagogical leadership and HR management. The focus on HR management in the deputy heads’ tasks mainly took the form of planning the personnel’s shifts over longer periods as well as tasks related to substitute and working time arrangements due to unexpected sickness absences. In a situation where the units managed by the head are decentralised, the deputy head in charge of pedagogical leadership often ends up with a great deal of responsibility for developing and maintaining the operating culture of the unit and maintaining everyday activities.
The heads’ possibilities of responding to and dealing with the expectations placed on their work were linked to the level of support they received. The results of the survey addressed to heads of early education centres indicate that heads who received support from their supervisors were more likely to find that the expectations placed on their work could be met. The heads also emphasised the importance of support received from other colleagues and the deputy head in the group interviews. The third key factor that helps or hinders responding to expectations was the scope of the areas to be managed. Many of the heads who felt that the expectations were too high also found that they were single-handedly responsible for too many areas, or an excessively large area. The evaluation found that early childhood education and care organisations should develop structures that make it easier to respond to expectations placed on managing a early education centre. Rather than attempting to resolve challenges related to early education centre management purely at the individual level, the organisation should support the head in situations where they cannot meet the goals set for their work.
The evaluation findings show that in many places the obligations, objectives and expectations set for early education centres management are not met in the current structures. Pedagogical and structural reforms of the steering system cannot be implemented in the daily life of early childhood education and care, as not all heads have time for pedagogical leadership, long-term development of early childhood education and care, or supporting personnel competence.


Keywords: early childhood education and care; day care centres; management systems; managers and executives; deputies; job description; leadership (activity); leadership (properties)


Contributing organizations


Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023


Last updated on 2024-12-10 at 18:30